The Family Table
Feeding the Faith of LEFC Families
TFT: Anxious Teens
August 18, 2024
Dear LEFC Parents,
Here are some key items to set the table for disciple-making in your family in the week ahead:
New Director of Family Ministry!
Today, the congregation affirmed the appointment of Jordyn Skacel as LEFC’s first Director of Family Ministry.
Jordyn will be leading our efforts to bring families into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ through ministries to the children, youth, and parents of our church and community.
Jordyn has been a part of the West Branch Community for her whole life and is a graduate of Penn State University. For the last seven years, she has been serving as a missionary with Cru, along with her husband Abe, making disciples for Jesus at PSU. She is the mother of Spurgeon, Wilson, and a baby due in December.
Jordyn has been volunteering as a leader on the Family Ministries Team since November of 2023. She would love to talk with you about her vision for future ministry to help families thrive in Christ.
LEFC Fall Retreat
Join your LEFC church family for a weekend getaway on October 18-20! The Family Ministries Team is excited to invite you to our Fall Retreat, where we will hear teaching and grow spiritually, build community, experience rich fellowship, share meals, and have lots of fun! All ages are encouraged to attend and will have a place to engage during age-specific breakouts. You’ll have opportunities to play games, eat a s’more around the campfire, chat with old friends and get to know new ones!
The camp is just one hour away and transportation can be provided if needed. The cost is $25 for an individual and $50 for couples and families, which covers housing, food, and activities for the weekend. We’ll even be back in time for church on Sunday! See Jordyn Skacel, Holly Crumrine, or Vicky Albert with questions. Registration information is online or on the table in the foyer.
Send Pastor Matt Your Kids’ Sports Schedules
Fall sports are almost here! I (Pastor Matt) love to drop in to see the kids of our church family play their sports, but I need to know when and where the games are. It’s hard to keep track of who is on what team. If you could send me your kids’ sports schedules for this new season, it will help me to make it to more games and spend some quality time with your family.
The Gospel Project at Home
Today’s Bible Study is “Jesus Will Return One Day” (Volume 12: Unit 36: Session 2). Ask your kids what they learned in Kids Bible Class this morning and/or do the family devotional you can find at this link.
Snack and Yack!
When the auditorium empties after worship, girls and boys (grades 3ish-7ish) who listened to the sermon (remember to fill out a handout!) are invited to Pastor Matt’s office for a tasty treat and a brief discussion with an LEFC elder couple about the message.
And for dessert…
Our recommendation for family discipleship this week is a short book about a problem many teens are facing today–anxiety.
Ed Welch is one of my (Pastor Matt’s) most trusted teachers and mentors. There are few people from whom I have learned more about countering fear, worry, and anxiety than Ed. He is a faculty member and counselor at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation since 1981.
In A Student’s Guide to Anxiety, Ed distills years of wisdom into a ten very short readable chapters for teens.
Whatever he’s writing about, I always say that Ed “gets it.” He understands what it feels like to suffer and knows how to choose words that are biblical and appropriate to help.
The publisher describes the book this way:
“Are you weary of worry?
Blending psychological expertise with pastoral care, Edward Welch addresses the unique challenges students encounter, from academic stress to social pressures.
We all know the feeling. That nervous, jittery, tense feeling that tells you that something bad is just ahead. Anxiety can be overwhelming. But the Bible has plenty to say to people who are anxious. This book will help us to take our eyes off our circumstances and fix them on God.
Specifically tailored to students, this guide is packed with actionable advice, reflective exercises, and spiritual encouragement, making it a valuable resource for those seeking to understand and manage their anxiety effectively. With great compassion, Welch equips students with the tools they need to track their anxiety, understand its triggers, and find lasting peace amidst the chaos of student life.”
– Read an excerpt from chapter 2: The Lord Is Near You.
– Scan the table of contents.
– Check out other books from the church library by Ed Welch.
Pastor Matt has a copy of A Student’s Guide to Anxiety in his library and would love to loan it to you or your teen.
We hope your family eats it right up!
Matt Mitchell, Pastor
Holly Crumrine, Family Table Editor
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EXPLAINER: THE GOSPEL PROJECT AT HOME
For the last several years, our Children’s Church ministry has utilized The Gospel Project as our Bible study curriculum. The Gospel Project is really excellent–it takes our Little Learners and Bible Explorers chronologically through the whole Bible over the course of three years while always focusing on Jesus as the center of the big story. If your student was in Little Learners or Bible Explorers this morning, they received a coloring page and take-home sheet that corresponds to this lesson. You have also been given a full-color Big Picture Card that you can use to reinforce the lesson with your child, as well.
To reinforce what your kids are learning each week in Children’s Church, you can now access The Gospel Project At Home online. Each week in this email, there will be a link to follow to get this free resource which includes:
1. A guide to using the Gospel Project at Home.
2. Scripture to read and discuss with a recap video of the Bible Story (Preschool and/or Elementary).
3. Scripture memory verses and a song to sing together.
4. Prayer prompts and family activities that correspond to the lesson.
Please consider setting aside at least 10-15 minutes once a week for a family devotional time using this resource as a guide. We are hoping The Gospel Project At Home will help keep all of our LEFC kids “on the same page,” and feed their faith in Jesus.
This might be especially helpful if for some reason your child has to miss a week of Children’s Church. You can show them the Bible story video to keep them up to speed on what the other children are learning.
**Note: The first time you access the link, you will need to register a free account with Lifeway’s Ministry Grid. This will also provide you ongoing access through the “training” tab to many other discipleship resources including the Gospel Project at Home for previous weeks. Many hours of excellent things to absorb for free!